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Red Sox vs. Rockies lineups: Order unchanged as Sox go for short sweep

If it ain't broke...

By Ben Buchanan
Jim Rogash

What do you do to a lineup that just put up 20 hits and 11 runs? You back away from it as quickly as possible and do your best to convince everyone that it's still Tuesday.

That, at least, is the tactic being employed by John Farrell Wednesday (well, the backing away part) as he sends the same starting nine up to bat against Roy Oswalt and the Colorado Rockies.

Boston Red Sox (46-33)

  1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
  2. Shane Victorino, RF
  3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
  4. David Ortiz, DH
  5. Mike Napoli, 1B
  6. Daniel Nava, LF
  7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
  8. Stephen Drew, SS
  9. Jose Iglesias, 3B

Starting Pitcher -- John Lackey

Colorado Rockies (39-39)

  1. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
  2. Carlos Gonzalez, LF
  3. Michael Cuddyer, RF
  4. Wilin Rosario, DH
  5. Todd Helton, 1B
  6. Nolan Arenado, 3B
  7. Tyler Colvin, CF
  8. Yorvit Torrealba, C
  9. Josh Rutledge, SS

Starting Pitcher -- Roy Oswalt

Oswalt? Really? Yes, indeed, Roy Oswalt is back in the majors, and in fact just got done striking out just about everyone on the Nationals in his first outing. He also happened to surrender four runs in five innings in the process, which is really the side of him the Red Sox should be hoping wins out. The high-strikeout Oswalt was pretty terrible last year for the Rangers, anyways, so frankly seeing him strike out the world might not be so completely at odds with the runs allowed.

Then again, generally speaking that's just not how baseball works. Sure, Allen Webster showed us how a player can be at once filthy and cost his team the game, but experienced veterans who strike out 11 batters in five innings generally just tend to be dealing. Perhaps it was just an old pitcher getting a second wind in his first start of the season, but at least for now I'd be hoping John Lackey continues to do what he's done all year. The Red Sox might need some scoreless innings to keep up.

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